Many of the high priority pieces of legislation put forward by Alaska Governor Sean Parnell passed during the just completed Legislative session. However, one of the most controversial bill's will be waiting on lawmakers when they return to Juneau next January. House Bill 77 looked as if it was headed towards approval but the bill stalled in the Senate and was never taken up on the Senate floor, despite being scheduled for a floor vote several times last week. The bill sought to do a number of things, including to amend the water reservation statutes in Alaska to exclude the ability for individuals, tribes, native corporations and others from applying for a reservation to keep water in streams and rivers. That sparked heated opposition from many environmentalists, tribal leaders and those seeking to stop development of the proposed Pebble Mine. House Bill 77 was sponsored by the Governor and he was asked about the bill during his end of session press conference on Monday. Parnell specifically addressed the concerns with the proposed changes to the water reservation statutes that sought to only allow state and federal agencies or municipalities to reserve water in a stream or river in Alaska.
"Those accountable to the public should be accountable for the public's resources. Local governments and state and federal agencies should be able to make waters reservations. Persons should have water rights but not water reservations in perpetuity."
The prospect of eliminating the ability for individuals or groups from submitting a water reservation application angered several lawmakers and the Democratic minority in the State Senate promised a long and drawn out floor debate on the bill that would include several amendments. The minority Democrats never got to have their debate because the bill was never up for debate on the Senate floor. Instead it was sent back to the rules committee. That's where it will stay until next year's session when the bill can be taken up exactly where it was stalled in the process during this year's session. House Minority Leader Beth Kertulla from Juneau spoke to House Bill 77 during Monday's end of session press conference.
"I want to thank the Senate for stopping House Bill 77, which was one of the worst bills of the session. It's a terrible bill that will hurt Alaskans who have vested rights in development projects in Alaska."
House Bill 77 passed the Alaska House in March by a vote of 23 to 14 but the full senate never considered the bill. It's anticipated the bill will once again be a high-priority piece of legislation for Governor Parnell during next year's Legislative session in Juneau.